Pathstomper Episode 3
by FantasyKaiju
Summary: The group moves on to the next town in their trek to find the artifact and find a conspiracy and horrible monsters. For monster info is a good source.


Pathstomper

This is a non-profit fan-based parody. Ultraman and other various Ultra monsters are property of Tsuburaya Productions. Background, other monsters, and story elements are owned/inspired by Paizo Publishing. Support the official releases.

Episode 3

Scene starts out in a gray, cloudy day in a clearing near a road. A voice begins as the camera focuses on the group in the clearing. "This is Ansmaro. First name needed only. Here I am with my group," the voice says as the Camera pans to him sitting on a tree stump with Vrondi Piscine reading his new spell book close by. "The salamander there, he's blind, but somehow he can read that spell book we got from the old prison we left behind, go figure right?" he questions as the camera pans over to King Joe and Bonesmasher. The Red King barbarian is grinding something with a small hand-held grinder into a glass vessel for the robotic kaiju. "Those two, the alchemist and the barbarian, they are okay I guess. While the short arm of the law over there is a kill joy," he adds as the camera pans over to a napping Silver Fang. "See about ten days ago, we defeated some great evil and the town we were in honored us as heroes on the next day. The day after, we had to report to the temple of Pharasma to respond to some questions on the prison and other things. We also learned that our alchemist was not actually making our potions, just purchasing them!" He scowls at the gold robot that doesn't notice this at all. "Well he did learn them with a feat on our way here. Yes, apparently our GM, that governs this world, decided to make us lvl 7 by now, even though on the road we didn't get enough combat to warrant it," he says in a condescending manner." I, myself, learned the feat "Deft Hands" to help disable devices and have the rogue talent "Fast Stealth" to move normally and remain concealed," he continues as Bonesmasher finishes his chore for King Joe. The camera pans to a jar that King Joe has in his bag that seems to have a writhing green mass inside it. "Yeah, the alchemist figured out how to contain acidic oozes. He got two from the dungeon underneath the prison and contained them in jars in his bag, plus he learned the feat "Alchemical Prodigy"," the Rayja says as he focuses his attention on Bonesmasher. "He, on the other hand, learned the feat "Improved Grapple" and the rage power "Scent", so he can smell out enemies. Disgusting!" he cries internally, not wishing to anger the barbarian. The camera focuses on the waking Silver Fang, who gives a hearty yawn. "That boy scout over there took the feat "Combat Casting", since he is now a caster", he moans. The group gets together and starts packing up their various items. After about fifteen minutes, the group begins their trek.

He begins to narrate again as the group marches down the road, "We should have been to this town of Lepidstadt about a week or so ago, but then we; as I said earlier; were forced to stay in Harrowstone for two extra days. Then it took us two days to get to an inn, battling a few gangs of goblinoids on the way. Then we were stuck due to weather for four days," he snorts in frustration. "We did go off and try to get back on the road, also inadvertently attracted the ire of a dire boar. We were able to subdue and kill it-well after the barbarian clobbered it repeatedly in the face. When we were forced to turn back to the inn, they were so delighted we killed their porcine menace, they rewarded us with boar stew, 100 gold pieces each, and they even gave the boy scout a new suit of full plate armor plus they enchanted his mace giving it some sonic enhancement," he says and looks at Silver Fang in his new, steel-gray armor. "The last day and a half after, we been on the road, almost to this town-Meh! I could care less! Fine! Before I mentioned how we left the previous town right? Before we headed out, an Ultra in dark, platemail met us and said he heard and seen the three that stole the artifact. He was a Hellknight," Ansmaro then snarls and mutters. "They are a really militant force of knights that basically are violent enforcers of the rule of law. Gaaahhh! Well anyway, he claimed he overheard them claiming they were off to Lepidstadt, before heading back into Varisia," he continues to narrate as Bonesmasher walks beside the Rayja and gives a toothy grin to him. "He didn't know they were criminals, at the time, so he didn't act at the time. I wish I could figure a way to make a break for it maybe or make a fortune on this whole 'adventure'," muses Ansmaro. He stops and notices in the distance what appears to be a walled-in city. Silver Fang points to it and remarks, "It's Lepidstadt! We're finally here!" The group migrates toward the town and it takes about twenty minutes to each it.

Before they go into the town, they are greeted by what seems to be a security checkpoint of some sort. People in uniforms of various races watch over the gate and seem to be checking people into the town. Posters in common, Varisian, and Baltan adorn posts in front of this checkpoint at the gate and they read: "Due to security precautions all visitors must be screened and interviewed." Silver Fang goes up to one of the uniformed Guts guards and explains their situation. The guard looks at the group curiously and signals a higher-ranking officer to talk with Silver Fang. After much deliberation, Silver Fang walks over and explains to the ground, "Well we can enter, however they want to interview and check Ansmaro and King Joe." "Me? Why little ole' me?" questions Ansmaro half-heartedly. "Because you are a pirate and thief. They don't trust you. King Joe they want to make sure he isn't carrying any outlawed alchemical substances," Silver fang says while trying to respect the law enforcement agents and not trying to sound like he has sold out his group. The group gets to go forward and the Rayja and the Technic go into the checkpoint.

On the other side of the wall, Bonesmasher, Silver Fang, and Vrondi Piscine wait for the others and then they arrive disheveled. "How'd THAT go?" Vrondi inquired. King Joe turned toward them and autotuned, "I had to register as an alchemist in this city. Cost: 6 gold pieces. Because of varying tariffs on alchemical substances I also had to pay an additional 7 gold pieces to bring my items. Lastly, because of my various explosive materials I was fined for haz-mat. Cost: 10 gold pieces." "That's ridiculous! However, it IS the law," Silver Fang mumbled after crying with surprise. Bonesmasher looks at Ansmaro and asks, "Fin-head pirate guy, what did they do to you?" Ansmaro grumbles, "Patted me down, made me register my firearm-which cost me 15 gold pieces, and said that I have been forewarned about theft that I may do." "Why such security around this place anyway?" questioned Ansmaro in a huff. "I'm not sure," responds Silver Fang and then, without warning a Shaplay in uniform says, "It's because of the Beast and his trail later in the early evening tonight." "The Beast?" questions Vrondi. "A Nosferu serial killer…" trails the Shaplay." "Sounds pretty bad to have all this," cries Bonesmasher and the group just goes onward to look for an inn.

After a while the group does find an inn operated by a few Baltans called "The Kessington Inn" Silver Fang and Vrondi book a room together as do Bonesmasher and Ansmaro as well. King Joe, on the other hand, rents a spacious walk-in closet in comparison to the others. It's about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, so the group decides to meet up later at 6, after everyone gets some rest, to go out and eat. The group goes their separate ways and in four hours, they convene at a local tavern.

After entering the tavern, they notice that most of the crowd seems very displeased. The general emotions of the crowd seem to be almost to the point of violence. Ansmaro notices an old Gomora that seems to be covering himself in a cloak, as to not draw attention to himself, at a booth by himself. He brings this up with the group and Vrondi quietly casts "Detect Thoughts". After a few minutes, he finds out who this Gomora is. After the few minutes pass, Vrondi whispers to the group, "This guy is one of the judges at the trial. He's trying to hide himself, because of today's verdict. He also believes the real serial killer is still at large." The group deliberates and Ansmaro and Bonesmasher stay back to watch the unruly group at the bar drink heavily and spout their rage, while Silver Fang, King Joe, and Vrondi approach the secreted judge.

The three approached him and sat at his booth. He, in a startled manner, looked at them from under his hood, "Who are you? What do you want?" "We just have a few questions for you," Vrondi says in a calming manner. "I don't need to answer anything of you," grumbles the judge. "Please, I want to know why you did what you did," says Silver Fang quietly as not to arise the ire of the other patrons who are loudly shouting profanities and insulting the names of the judges. "Why? Come to kill me, stranger?" he questions. "No, just trying to serve the law," remarks Silver Fang in a kind manner. The judge looks around, calls over a waitress to move them to one of the private galleries upstairs, and pays her a small pouch of gold coins. The group goes upstairs following her, she lights an oil lamp in a private room, and exits promptly.

"So what do you want to know? Why I voted not to find the Noferu thief guilty and condemn him?" he snorts and pulls his hooded cloak from over his head, revealing himself to be an old Gomora with few teeth and a scar on the left side of his face. "It doesn't concern you, strangers," he adds and takes a swig of his tankard. "If an innocent is endangered and the law is not upheld, it concerns me," remarks Silver fang. The Gomora nods and says, "I'm Flavian. I used to be a member of the town guard and eventually I became one of the town's four judges. The three introduce themselves likewise and ask what has been happening of recent. "Ever hear of the Sandpoint Devil?" questions Flavian. Vrondi nods and quickly responds, "Yes! The giant winged monster of questionable origin that is supposed to cause misfortune wherever it stops?" Flavian nods and begins to speak, "We have our own version of the foul beast called the Daemon Steed. About a month ago, the creature was sighted, and since, a few times it has reared its horrid head, even cursing the daughter of the mayor." King Joe autotunes, "Really? What sort of curse?" The judge looks at King Joe and asks, "Is that a golem or a Technic?" then he clears his throat and says, "She has been bed ridden for the last two weeks and has lost all her skin coloring." Vrondi responds in a defensive manner, "This is our friend, King Joe, heir to the throne of Numeria." "Well anyway, the major problem at hand is the serial killer dubbed, "The Beast". About seven days ago, his rampage began in the early evening. In the last seven days, this murderer has claimed the lives of sixteen citizens of Lepidstadt," Flavian says and finishes his drink in a mighty chug. "About two days ago, a Nosferu thief was captured and was blamed for the murders," he says and looks at them with a strong look of resolve on his face, "but, I strongly believe he was arrested just for being a Nosferu thief." Vrondi nods, "Nosferu are usually blood feeders, so they usually don't have good reputations, however aren't Nosferu generally welcomed in this part of the country since they played a big part in the war against the tyrannical regime of King Kreitov of Ustalav about seventy-three years ago? Flavian responds, "Yes, however their dark, shifty nature still pervades them and makes people nervous of them. This one was in the wrong place in the wrong time-right after the sixteenth victim was found he was there." "So what's this guy's name and why do you think he's innocent?" questions Silver Fang. "First of all, his name is Krakov. Second, there are two major factors at play. The most major part is that all the victims had their throats ripped to shreds in a way that doesn't correspond to a bladed weapon or the Nosferu's mouth parts. The other factor is a lone survivor, a hobgoblinoid, described a red, leathery winged creature with red, glaring eyes and a maw of irregular jagged teeth," Flavian responds and looks into his tankard to see if there are any droplets of mead left. "That makes sense," Silver Fang responds in a tone that shows he is torn, "but he still is a common thief." Flavian darts back a look that could kill at Silver fang, and Silver Fang backpedals, "However he is not responsible for these crimes though. Do you know who would do this?" Flavian shakes his head, "No, I just known I was one the only judge that believed he was innocent. I got another judge to have reasonable doubt and vote against the verdict just for procedure's sake, while the one wants to just make the people happy because he's a newbie to the position and the other just wants a Nosferu dead." "Did the hobgoblinoid testify?" questions King Joe, and Flavian squints at the Technic. "Really, he looks like a weird, metal golem. Anyways, yes, he did. The court room wasn't swayed by him, because of the knowledge that 'hobgoblinoids are always liars and are always evil'," he says sarcastically. He looks solemnly at them, "We have five days to prove his innocence or the majority of the judges' votes for "guilty" take hold, and he will be executed." "Any hints of what could we do?" asks Silver Fang in a tone to try to reassure Flavian. "A few days ago, there were bizarre lights on Karb Isle on the third day of the Beast's rampage. There's an abandoned temple there and the isle rests right out of the city in a river, and it is infested with ghouls. There has been no one over there in years, maybe it has something to do with the Beast?" he questions and ponders to them. "Undead again?" Silver Fang mutters under his breath. "That's all I can suggest, there may be clues there," Flavian gets up and puts his hood over his head. "We should get going," he says.

Down below, some of the patrons are getting very drunk and very irritable. One Shaplay knocks over his drink and cries out in a loud, angry tone, "Cursed Nosferu! Those monsters must have paid off the judge or something!" Bonesmasher keeps his head low and so does Ansmaro who keeps his hat tipped forward to obscure his face (though the fins at the sides of his neck still are apparent). One of the patrons throws down his drink and the glass shatters to pieces. He hollers in a massive fit and blames the judge for not doing his job. Bonesmasher cannot take any more of this stupidity-ironic isn't it? Bonesmasher quickly rises to his feet and points at this patron who threw his glass to the ground-a Black King and cries, "Hey! Stop messing with the justice system and let it be done the way the judges see fit!" Ansmaro snidely remarks under his breath, "Such big words for him to say." Bonesmasher releases a mighty bellow that intimidates the rest of the drunks into staying out of the fight, but this sole Black King wishes to fight. He charges Bonesmasher and with a quick, decisive strike, gets ploughed in the face with Bonesmasher's mighty fist. With that, the Black King falls over-out cold.

The other patrons see this and start to run out of the tavern as the three other allies and the judge come down from the upper floor. "What happened?!" asks Silver Fang in a look of utter surprise. "Nothing much, just the big guy putting down a riot," responds Ansmaro with a bit of sarcasm. "We have to get out of here!" shouts Vrondi Piscine animatedly. Flavian points to the tavern's kitchen, "I'm a friend with the owner! There's an exit out that way!" They set off through the kitchen and the scene fades.

A white screen with big green, bold letters that read, "MONSTER FACTS" shows up on the screen before a pink, emaciated anteater-like creature walks out in front and center releasing a hissing cry before clearing its throat. Above it appears the heading "NOSFERU" in big, red letters. A narrator begins and sounds very much like Ansmaro, "Nosferu, more of a race than an actual monster species, are native to Ustalav and eastern Varisia." With that, the elongated teeth in front of the creature's mouth open and it releases a long-winded yawn and puts on a night cap. "Nosferu are primarily nocturnal and sleep during the day," the narrator says as the Nosferu curls up into a ball on the ground and begins to snore. It wakes, yawns, and scratches itself very carefully as Ansmaro says, "The Nosferu have extremely sharp claws that function as natural weapons as does its long tongue that it uses to entangle and pierce the hides of prey with its sharp tip." With that the Nosferu's tongue darts out, strikes what appears to be a frog, and swallows it whole with lightening speed. "The only known creature that rivals this creature's elongated tongue is KISS band member, Gene Simmons," adds Ansmaro dryly. Upon the screen the Nosferu takes several leaps that seem to defy the laws of nature. "Nosferu are amazing leapers and seem like they have springs in their feet," narrates Ansmaro as the creature bounces around haphazardly. "Nosferu also have bad reputations because they are excellent shape shifters and can mold their flesh to impersonate other species," Ansmaro says as the Nosferu pulls at its face and molds it to look like a Silvergon and then a Salamandora, before its face returns to normal. "Despite everything, Nosferu are usually city-dwellers or under-city dwellers and are very rational and shrewd creatures," narrates Ansmaro again, "even though they have their bad reputations, Nosferu can be excellent members of society." With that the Nosferu looks at the screen, grabs a monocle, and takes a cup of tea and tastes it gingerly before the screen fades to black.

The scene opens up to the group crossing a river in a boat and Silver Fang looks at the camera, "Well, it certainly has been an eventful day." The scene shifts to the city of Lepidstadt with people protesting in front of the courthouse with signs and burning effigies of a Nosferu and the judges. As the group moves through this flashback, Silver Fang narrates what's going on, "The general disorder in the city was a rather big annoyance, because I am a strong believer in the rule of law." "However, the local constables were taxed to capacity, so they could not wrangle in these rabble-rousers," narrates the Silvergon as the group passes beside a group of Guts chasing what may or may not be a screaming Shaplay store clerk. The scene switches to what appears to be the inside of a great cathedral with an altar in front of them. An ornately-clad, Shaplay cleric in a stone-grey, great coat with Pharasma iconography stands behind it with two silent, solemn clerics that consist of one Pandon and one Guts. The group stands in front of the altar and looks upon it while the cardinal is chanting. The item upon the altar is Silver Fang's scimitar. The chanting stops when a blue light engulfs the blade and the cardinal says, "Templar of Apsu, take your blade now that it has "Bane of Undead", it shall strike down many of the rotting legions." With that Silver fang narrates again as himself in the scene grabs and takes the blade, "We went to Gravecharge-the cathedral of Pharasma- to get a blessing against the undead ghouls we'd face at the ruined temple at Karb Isle. That meant paying a small fee and asking for blessing from High-Priest Cidaimoikis, the Shaplay cleric that runs the church of Pharasma in Lepidstadt." The next scene shifts to them in the market quarter looking through stores and Vrondi grabbing a roasted toad and exclaiming, "These are not fresh spell components!" "We needed some supplies like rope and other gear to get into the catacombs, so we went shopping," explains Silver fang.

The scene returns to the boat landing on the island seconds after returning to the present. The sun is setting and the group sees the island with ruins of a temple that have been overgrown with trees and dense brush. Ansmaro unfurls a map, "I got this from the clerics. The entrance to the main part of the temple where the lights were seen is west about two hundred feet." The group looks around and makes their way toward that entrance. The dark of night descends upon them quickly as they come to an abandoned building. The temple's main building is in a shambles from the outside as King Joe passes around sun rod sticks to produce light. Bonesmasher ripped the door off its hinges and the group peered around the room to ascertain what happened there. Around them were old, ruined icons of Aroden- the god of Ultras, Philosophy, Law, and Protection-a circle with an eye inside it with metallic fins on the sides. "After the fall/death of Aroden, his clerics lost their powers and his temples and places of worship were abandoned 106 years ago," Vrondi says as he uses the sun rod to inspect the religious icons on the wall. "You did your homework, Vrondi," retorts Silver Fang. Vrondi nods, but Bonesmasher directs their attention to the main altar, "Look!" Upon the altar is a magic circle made with chalk that looks like it was turned into a seat for someone, while right in front of it is another magic circle that looks like another circle was made around it. Within the center of the other circle is a charred, crumbling mass that looks like the misshapen form of a humanoid with a canine-like skull and hooves. The group runs over and Vrondi and Silver Fang talk to each other and come to the conclusion that it must be a ghoul. "Why would you use a ghoul in a spell?" questions Ansmaro as he also points out that the creature had its forearms shackled together. "Looks like some spell transfer system," notes Vrondi as he examines the circles. Vrondi stands up and chants to cast, "DETECT MAGIC" and then sits back down besides the circles. "These were made a few days ago, they are still charged with a lot of power, and they are a curse transfer system," says Vrondi collecting his thoughts. King Joe faces Vrondi and asks, "The circle around the first circle is a binding circle?" Vrondi nods. The group hears a sound from beneath them.

"What was that?" questions Ansmaro in a very distressed tone. "Probably undead…gotta be undead," Vrondi comments immediately. The group uses their sun rods and notices a door that seems to be ajar. "Maybe a cellar to store things possibly? Or maybe what was the library?" Vrondi suggests as a faint smell of decay wafts toward them. "Bleh! I doubt it!" spouts Silver Fang. With that, Silver Fang inches slowly toward the door and pulls it off its hinges, revealing a staircase leading down to what WAS a cellar, or not possibly. Bonesmasher cries, "SSSHHHHPPPPAAAARR! I wanna smash undead things!" Vrondi shakes his head after, "No thank you!" Silver Fang points downward, "Maybe we'll find out more about what happened here." Vrondi concedes very soon after, "Y-y-you could be right." And King Joe chimes in, "My alkahest bombs are designed to deal with undead, however to just be sure…" The mechanized alchemist rummages around in some of his belt pouches and then pulls out a small vial with a sickly, grey, milky substance inside. He uncorks the vial and inserts it into a hole in his arm that is revealed by a secretive sliding compartment. His panels and eye visor glow wildly, while his arms wave around feverishly. He stops and says, "I detect undead!" "Detect undead potion?" Silver Fang remarks and looks at the automaton. King Joe simply responds, "Yes." The group made the decision to go downward.

The smell of rot and decay fills the air as their lights pierce the bleakness of the dark. The group comes upon what was a cellar, and there seems to be the remnants of shelves and barrels, also in the middle, is what looks like a shallow fire pit that's embers have dimmed to almost nothingness. A few figures are brought to view because of the light: a small group of three normal ghouls, a ghoul in what seems to be leather armor with a bone breastplate, and an ornately-garbed ghoul sorcerer. The group stops and faces the creatures that are equally surprised of their appearance and in the background a voice that seems to be a mere whisper in the wind says, "Roll for initiative!" The ghoul with leather armor pulls out of its scabbard, a long sword and charges at Bonesmasher, who conveniently falls down the stairs right in front of it. The scrawny, pallid creature's mouth opens up and from between its multitude of needle-like teeth escapes a horrid cry as it slashes Bonesmasher with its long sword! Bonesmasher instinctively smashes the creature in the face with one of his fists, knocking the creature a few feet backwards reeling. Silver Fang comes down second, withdraws his scimitar, and uses "SMITE EVIL" on the ghoul sorcerer with Ansmaro right behind. The sorcerer begins to chant and motions at the three in front and a sickly, green light in the shape of an emaciated bull's head appears in front of them. Silver Fang isn't affected by this obvious necromancy spell, but Ansmaro and Bonesmasher are, and they feel weak and nauseated. "Bull's Curse!" shouts Vrondi Piscine in reaction to this spell as he steps forward down the stairs. "You know what, ghoul?" with that he begins to chant and pulls from his robe three amber beads. The beads light up and he throws them at the ghoul, dealing severe damage to the wretched creature as they impact against its skin with brilliant bursts of yellow light. One of the ghouls charges Silver Fang and attacks him with a large, metal pick that penetrates his armor, but doesn't do much damage except the look of discomfort from Silver Fang. Ansmaro still is weakened considerably, however he draws his pistol and takes a shot at the magic-wielding ghoul. The ball strikes the creature through its robe and brings the creature to its knees. King Joe forces his way to the front and strikes the pick-wielding ghoul with his metal fist, dealing considerable damage and making the undead thing drop its pick. Another ghoul furiously swats at King Joe, doing little damage as does another who strikes him with a metal bar.

Yet again, the ghoul warrior strikes King Joe with its blade, giving Bonesmasher a vicious wound. Bonesmasher fights through the pain and the weakness inflicted upon him and grabs his club with both hands. Then, he strikes the creature with his club and a shout, "POWER ATTACK!" with still a lot of force that causes the creature to fold back and reassess the situation. The sorcerer gets back up, pulls a scroll from its robe, and begins to chant. The scroll explodes in a blast of blue light and is followed by bits and pieces of burning parchment that waft through the air. A multitude of blue teeth appear around Vrondi and sink in, wounding the spell-caster and making him fall to the ground in extreme pain. Vrondi cannot regain his footing and still writhes on the ground in torment. Ansmaro reloads his pistol with great resolve and takes another shot at the sorcerer ghoul. It makes another wound on the creature, and it seems the ghoul is not faring too well. Silver Fang charges at the sorcerer with his scimitar ready for the kill. He passes the other two fighting King Joe and pushes the other ghoul that attacked him to the side. He slashes the ghoul in half and is covered in its thick, blackish blood when it sprays out, "Ewww! The smell will be stuck on my armor for days!" As Vrondi is on the ground crying out in pain, the ghoul that had the pick kicks him repeatedly as it shrieks in glee. King Joe pulls from a bag on his belt, an alkahest bomb and primes it. The two ghouls stop flailing at him and look at the object with curiosity. It explodes its contents on all three of them! The alkahest substance deals no damage to King Joe (thanks to his metallic skin and a little alchemical grease ahem*!) but sizzles and pops when it hits the two ghouls. They shriek in pain and one takes off toward King Joe and runs past him.

The warrior ghoul returns to fight Bonesmasher, grabs his long sword with both hands, and deals a critical hit that strikes Bonesmasher in the abdomen! Blood pours from the wound; however Bonesmasher uses his club to shatter the arm bones of the ghoul in a powerful hit. He then falls to the ground, grasping his chest and cries, "Shhhpppaaaarrr!" Silver Fang cries out in horror, "Bonesmasher!" and fires three of his blasts at the disarmed ghoul and the scene stops. Ansmaro's face pops in front of the screen, "DisARMED! Get it?" He gives a look of disappointment, "Fine! It isn't the best time for jokes," he says and goes off screen again and the scene starts up again. The blue fire blasts strike the warrior ghoul and cause it to combust in a bright flash. The creature falls to the floor writhing as the flames consume it. Vrondi finally stops writhing in pain, strikes at the ghoul attacking it with his tail, and deals a minor electric shock attack that surprises the emaciated humanoid creature and it breaks off the attack. King Joe blasts the ghoul covered in alkahest in front of him with an electric blast that causes the ghoul to sizzle and smoke more from that than the alkahest's effects of eating its flesh. While the other ghoul smells blood from Bonesmasher and gives into its base instincts by running toward the Red King and biting him deeply.

The Redking cannot defend himself and flails as he bleeds, trying to unlatch the ghoul from him. Silver Fang cannot reach Bonesmasher at the speed he is going, and the pick ghoul forces itself in his way. Silver Fang strikes the creature with his elbow, knocking its jaw out of joint, splattering more dark, foul blood from its oral passageway. Vrondi gets up and strikes the pick ghoul with "ACID SPLASH"! This causes the ghoul to writhe in pain as acid starts to eat at its purplish-grayish flesh. Ansmaro, however, opens his maw and spits his usual U-shaped beams at the ghoul on Bonesmasher with great risk not to strike the barbarian. They strike the creature that is still burning from the alkahest and force the creature to let go as the alkahest catches fire! King Joe strikes the other ghoul on the ground repeatedly with electric shocks that start to cook the alkahest substance and causes the creature to burst into flames. The flames quickly consume the creature and it falls apart into ashes.

With that, the flaming ghouls crumble into pieces, except the acid-covered one who takes a leap at Vrondi! He scores a bite into Vrondi's arm before Silver Fang hacks its head in two with his scimitar. "Are you okay?!" asks Silver Fang with great concern. "I'm hurt, and I have been bit," Vrondi says with a lot of deep breathes between words, "I hope I don't get ghoul fever." Silver Fang goes over and luckily stabilizes the bleeding on Bonesmasher with a rag and some blood block from his bag. Ansmaro goes and loots the body of the sorcerer. "No time for looting, thief!" shouts Silver Fang as he tends to the wounded Redking. "Medical help is going to cost a lot possibly! So these rings and amulet from the sorcerer are going to be helpful in paying them off," responds Ansmaro sharply. King Joe goes over and props up Bonesmasher. The group quickly scans the room and sees nothing of value besides the three rings and the amulet of the sorcerer. They quickly leave this ruined temple and head for the boat. The scene fades to black….

The scene opens to a table with four players huddled at said table and with the GM with his horn rimmed glasses. The GM peers over his Game Master screen and looks at a blonde guy with stubble. This guy is wearing a grey button shirt over a black t-shirt as the front is wide open and shows a flying saucer logo on his black shirt. "Steve, you and Cedric are going to have to be healed. Better hope you guys don't get ghoul fever," the GM says grimly. Cedric, the player in a sweater with a red-brown hair, a beard, and glasses remarks, "Fantastic." Steve looks at the GM and asks, "So it's like zombie plague, but with ghouls?" The GM nods solemnly. "So we just turn into undead things that eat carrion?" Steve asks again. "Yes," the GM answers while looking over his screen at the table. "So we may turn into purplish, corpse-eating undead from a fever?" The GM looks at the player, "Yes, Steve. Unless you get medical attention. The church of Pharasma is a good bet." "So go Gravecharge, beg the cardinal to cure us, so we don't turn into corpse eaters?" Steve questions. "Yes! Or in your case, bleed out," the GM says again to express his point with a very audible amount of disgust in his voice. The player is about to open his mouth and the player that controls Ansmaro pipes up, "Just go to the blasted church, or you'll die and become the undead!" The GM looks across the table, "Thank you Richard." The scene switches to black before the next scene appears.

The next scene opens up to the next morning at Gravecharge cathedral's outside before cutting to a waiting room that has Silver Fang, King Joe, and Ansmaro sitting together on a bench outside a door. Ansmaro and Silver Fang are napping and King Joe seems to be in a stand-by mode. The door opens and High-Priest Cidaimoikis walks out of the room. The trio wake up immediately and stand up to meet the high-ranking cleric. "Your friends are okay," the cleric begins with a clearing of his throat. "The Redking in particular was injured very badly. We used magic and medicine to patch him back up. Your sorcerer friend was easier to fix up," says the Shaplay cleric to the group. "So they are cured of ghoul fever, if they indeed had it, right?" questions Ansmaro. "Spoken like someone who has been in the legal system I see," the Shaplay addresses that remark towards the Rayja pirate and he answers with, "Yes, that would be correct." "By the way, ahem*! Thank you for the curatives last night against that necromancy spell," Ansmaro says shyly. The High-Priest looks at the three in front of him, "Well, your thanks is not enough, I have a favor to ask you." "The group looks at each other and Ansmaro says dryly, "Well doesn't surprise me, you were going to charge." "Yes, but not what you are thinking," he says and ushers over another cleric who is a small-framed Nosferu. "This is Meitov, Krakov's brother. He wants to help clear his brother's name, besides we have to find out what is wrong with the mayor," Cidaimoikis says solemnly while the Nosferu cleric tries to avoid eye contact. "He has been denouncing the verdict issues by the court the other day, and not only that, he has issued in the last four hours a city-wide lockdown. There is something wrong," the cleric says again. "How are we going to do that?" King Joe autotunes away. "I can have some of the town guard stand down, because of a religious order that I have spread, and I have got an audience with the mayor today at 4'o clock. I have pulled some strings, but you four are going to be the ones who find out what he's got cooked up," the High-Priest says again. The group looks at him in shock and the Nosferu cleric responds in a meek voice, "But why us?!" "You're my representatives. Besides, you want to help your brother right? The biggest reason, I think there's something else afoot here," responds Cidaimoikis while trying to push away the Nosferu who's trying to hide inside the room behind him. "They'll know who I am though!" cries the diminutive Nosferu animatedly. King Joe counters with, "Not if you have a Disguise potion." "Wha?" utters the Nosferu who turns his head to the mechanized alchemist in surprise. "I have a few," the Technic says and then begins to go through a few belt pouches before producing a vial with a bright, lime green fluid. He offers it to the Nosferu, "Drink it and think of what you want to look like." Meitov does as directed and then transforms into a curvaceous Nosferu female in a leather swimsuit. "Wow!" cries Meitov and High-Priest Cidaimoikis responds with a "Cut that out!" and a "You wasted a potion!" King Joe actually hands another potion to Meitov, "I have one more." The Nosferu grabs at the potion and King Joe snatches it back, "It'll only work for a little more than an hour. So you'll have to wait." "So I'll be sexy for an hour or so?" exclaims the overjoyed cleric. "Uhh yes…" responds the robotic kaiju. "I'm going to enjoy looking at myself in the mirror," he yelps before the High-Priest sternly butts in, "Just get ready to go out within a few hours!" He jumps and runs off camera from the sound of the High-Priest's cross voice. The scene fades to black.

Within a few hours, the group is outside down the street from the mayor's mansion. King Joe pulls out the vial of green fluid and hands it to Meitov. He takes the potion, slurps it down heartily, and transforms slowly into what looks like a Shaplay inquisitor in Pharasma-related regalia. "We better hurry, this will wear off in 2 hours," says King Joe. The group is about to get going, before Silver Fang asks, "Is what we're doing legal? Because the law is the law." "Well, if the mayor is doing all this for some corrupt reason, it's the law's job to remove him from power. If the lawmen under his control still serve him, a strong social group within the community with a representative of the law is required to remove him," Meitov says with respect to Silver Fang. "That means the Church of Pharasma-me-and a soldier of the law-you," he continues and Silver Fang's widen. "Me?! Well, I am a templar, but this isn't my community!" he almost shouts as he realizes it still is broad day light (well despite the cloud cover). "Still, you are a man of the law," Meitov says smugly, while adjusting his jacket. The group sets off and the scene switches again to the group right in front of the door to the mayor's office.

"Wow, we travelled fast. Those 15 minutes seemed like seconds," Meitov says in confusion. Silver Fang responds with a smirk, "Yeah. Does so right?" The group waits in front of the door and passes the time for a few minutes just chatting about minor things. Ansmaro examines his loaded dice from a pouch from his belt, and the Nosferu disguised as a Shaplay inquisitor examines himself in a wall mirror. The door opens and a haggard voice calls out to them, "Come in." The four go into the dimly- lit room and notice a tired Telesdon with bags under his eyes sitting at a desk with two Guts guards at each of his sides standing watch. "So, I been told you wish to speak with me?" the mayor asks quizzically as the candles of the room flicker in a sickening way. "YOU ARE ACCUSED OF HERESY AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES BY THE CHURCH OF PHARASMA!" screams Meitov in a furious manner while pointing directly at the mayor! The mayor gives a quick yelp of surprise and fear, while the two guards get in front of the desk, cross their halberds, and one counters "How dare you?!" "Failed your Bluff check with those two," teases Ansmaro in the ear of Meitov. "Excuse me. Sorry, force of habit. However, we do have questions for you," the disguised Nosferu says, while regaining his footing. The guards back down and the mayor regains his composure, "Yes? Do go on." Silver Fang pipes up, "So, being a representative of the law, I must ask you: Why were most of the murder victims of "The Beast" political enemies of yours or is it all just coincidence?" The guards look agitated and the mayor starts to twitch and look upset, "What…what are you talking about?" "Or the facts that those murdered were primarily trying to fight your tax and trade policies" questions Ansmaro with a smirk and a hand close to his rapier. "Outsider, I doubt you even know what you are talking about," the mayor grumbles. "No, we kinda poked around," Silver Fang says trying to make sure he gives the impression outwardly of his resolve. "It is funny though, that it was noted by a few river boatmen that you set off to Karb Isle the night that the mysterious lights were seen," Silver Fang adds. The mayor shrieks from the accusations and hides under his desk, while the two guards charge at the accusers. "We won't let you bad mouth the mayor," cries one of the guards. Ansmaro luckily slashes at one of the guards' weapons to split his halberd in half, while Silver Fang just bashes the other guard with his shield and knocks him prone. "Back off, you guys and let the inquisitor do his job," snarls Silver Fang. Meitov, in his inquisitor form, walks over to the desk and shouts, "Show yourself! Coward!" The mayor slowly and cowardly rises up to meet his accusers from behind his desk, looking at them with horror as he shudders uncontrollably. The guards try to reassert themselves, but the one on the ground is still reeling in pain and the other is disarmed with the loss of his halberd. "Stand up as a leader and have some respect for yourself!" cries Meitov harshly. The mayor reacts, "Alright. You got me! I admit I helped facilitate the murderers, but not cause them directly." The two guards look dumbfounded and the mayor continues to speak as he looks down at his feet with shame.

The mayor fumbles in his front pocket while his massive jaws remain slack with either stress or total embarrassment. He finds what appears to be a key. "Let me show you something," he says with a lot of sorrow. He marches out of his main office on the second floor of the mansion and walks down the hallway. The group passes a few doors and then after three doors down, there is a door the mayor places the key inside and turns it. The door creaks open and what is seen is a small bed with a young Telesdon girl with milky white skin instead of the yellowish copperish color."Oh man! That's some scary stuff…" mumbles Ansmaro, before getting elbowed by Silver Fang to shut up. King Joe exclaims, "This is because of some kind of curse! It's obvious!" The mayor says in a somber tone, "Yes, it is. I tried using local alchemists and clerics, but they could not remove this multi-pronged curse from the Daemon Steed on my little one. She still bares the skin discoloration and a coma that breaks at times and when we least expect it, she falls back in, though." "Until the three mysterious Ultras came into town and offered their help. My issues were not made public, so I wondered how they knew," the mayor recounts as he looks down on his comatose young daughter. "We made a deal, they would help me win reelection by removing my political enemies and supply a cure for the curse my daughter was under," he says as he strokes her snout. "Then the murders happened, they returned, and made me allow Hupnaths to live in a part of the sewer system, so the creatures could maintain some sort of control while they were gone," says the mayor again, now stroking his daughter's prone form in his arms. "Hupnaths!?" cries Silver Fang with** some** restraint and is followed by, "**Those** evil outsiders?!" "What's a Hupnath?" quietly questions Ansmaro to the "inquisitor". Meitov answers with some fear in his voice, "Horrible, evil outsiders who are extremely powerful and fast that feed on blood/raw flesh-that and they can change forms." Ansmaro looks at him, "Really?" and the following pause is so tense you could hear a pin drop. Meitov nods to break the tension as Ansmaro does a face palm. The mayor continues, "In return, we went to Karb Isle under the cover dark and with these mysterious Ultras' help, we were able to pass on most of the curse to a ghoul." King Joe muses, "What other things did this curse do?" "Rapid aging and made her subject to random tremors that would shake her body uncontrollably," the mayor says with tears in his eyes that slide down his snout. "So she still suffering a bulk of effects from the curse?" questions Silver Fang. The mayor solemnly nods. King Joe opens one of his chest panels and starts to mess with an abacus, then putting it back, and pulling out a vial and a few other things. "What are you doing?" questions Meitov to the Technic. "I think I can make a quick "Remove Curse" formula to aid in her condition," King Joe says as he adds a few fluids into the bottle and toys around with some other vials. "You think you can help?" asks the mayor, however skepticism is evident in his voice. "The others failed, so what makes you think that you can fix this?" questions the mayor again with a very skeptical tone in his voice. "Mechanized brain?" autotunes King Joe back and with that a puff of smoke and a flash are seen from the vial.

The scene quickly shifts to the table, the GM at the head of the table, behind his GM screen asks, "Larson? How are going to do this?" The portly guy with dark hair and green eyes responds, "Well, I just rolled a natural 20." "That still won't help THAT much, since it's a powerful curse," replied the GM. "I have a 44 in all," the green-eyed player replies with a giant grin. The GM is absolutely shocked and shouts, "How?! How does that happen?!" He even loses his glasses as they fall off of his face from his jerky motions caused by his surprise. Larson gives a look at him and proceeds to talk with a lot of pride in his voice, "First of all, I have my base skill of "craft: alchemy" that is 11 +4 with my attribute bonus, then the feat: prodigy gives me +2 to "craft: alchemy", and every level I have spent a skill point in that skill. I AM a level 7, so it would be 24, PLUS my natural 20." The GM looks at him dumbfounded. "Ummm…WOW. Larson, give yourself a hand, you broke the curse," he continues in a surprised tone before the scene switches back to the mayor's daughter's chamber.

King Joe walks over and cradles the young Telesdon girl's head, before administering the formula. It goes down without a hitch and he lightly rests her head back upon her pillow. About fifteen seconds pass and she finally wakes up. Her skin returns to its normal color, she looks at her father, and says to him in a soft, sleepy tone, "Daddy?" The mayor embraces his daughter and cries out, "Sally?! Thank Pharasma you're fine!" The small girl makes small talk with her elated father and after a bit, the group decides to wait outside. "I think the formula is wearing off," says Meitov in a cautious tone as his pink skin starts to overlap on the goldish Shaplay skin. "Go, hide in a broom closet or something till it wears off," Silver Fang commands, and King Joe follows up with a, "It will be worn off in about six minutes, so hurry." So Meitov takes off down the hallway, luckily a few seconds before the mayor enters the hallway and with a look of joy asks, "How can I repay you?" "We can pretend all this didn't happen if you do two things," Ansmaro says before Silver Fang can even react. The mayor asks, "And those are?" Ansmaro cuts Silver Fang off as the word, "I" escapes his mouth with, "Well set free Krakov and tell us where these Hupnaths are." The mayor nods and the scene darkens…

A white screen with big green, bold letters that read, "MONSTER FACTS" shows up on the screen before a spiky, superheroesque creature without any apparent eyes that is covered in blue, silver, and red marches in front of the camera and extends its clawed hands to the audience and gives a horrific high-pitched cry. Above it appears the heading "HUPNATH" in big, red letters. A narrator that sounds very much like Silver Fang starts off reluctantly as the creature challenges the audience, "Down boy! Well here we are. Monster facts: The Hupnath, right?" The Hupnath flexes its claws and gives some crude gestures that are quickly CENSORED immediately. "Hey!" he spits out angrily in response to the uncouth outsider. Silver Fang begins again, "Hupnaths are neutral evil or chaotic evil outsiders originally from some unknown plane of existence. They like to sow destruction and bloodshed in their wakes." The Hupnath uses its hands to brush its shoulder pads and cape and gives a horrible shriek of satisfaction. "Yeahhhhh..., well these creatures are infamous for their extreme speed and agility," the paladin says while the Hupnath disappears in a zip and returns with a punching bag it quickly sets up. The camera does a close up of the creatures face with its three pairs of chitinous, grey horn-like growths on its eye-less, blue face with red sides. The creature gives a shriek of malevolent gee and tears the punching bag into pieces with blinding speed. Silver Fang audibly gulps and says, "…..Ummm… THAT was fast." He clears his throat before the Hupnath starts to do some combat exercises. "Despite their lack of eyes, Hupnaths seem to have a "sight without sight" like the Eleking species. Better ask Vrondi about that later. Oh well! This does not impede the Hupnath's excellent hand to hand skills," he says as the Hupnath spins around in a dazzling spin kick that strikes the screen and for the audience visible cracks are seen. "Hey! Just great! Cut! Replace the screen!" shouts Silver Fang and the scene is cut to a screen with a caricature of Silver Fang with broken mechanical parts all around him with "Technical Difficulties" written beside him. Within seconds, the scene shifts back to normal and everything seems fine. The Hupnath makes a malicious, high-pitched laughing sound that garners Silver Fang's ire. "Grrrr…Jerk! Anyway, I started this segment and I'm going to finish it. Hupnaths are infamous for taking on the forms of others, even so well they mock memories, accents, and clothing styles of the person. In some cases, some Hupnaths have believed themselves to be people other than what they are," he mentions. The Hupnath does not change at all it just sits with its arms and legs crossed."Not going to change for the nice people at home?" questions Silver Fang. The creature shakes its head and sits firmly where it is. "You blue-blooded, transforming…" grumbles Silver Fang before the creature transforms into a copy of Vrondi Piscine and walks off-screen. "WAIT! Come back here! This could get really bad," he mumbles and the scene shifts to black.

When the story resumes, the group of King Joe, Silver Fang, Bonesmasher, Vrondi, and Ansmaro are on a dark-lit street with Meitov at night. "Just right…here…" the cleric pulls up a manhole cover and tells the group, "Alright guys down there." The group descends into the shaft into a tunnel of oppressive blackness. Silver Fang pops out his bull's eye lantern to illuminate the sewer system tunnel. Meitov is the last one down and he casts a spell called, "Ghost Light". With that a sickly, iridescent orb of light appears over him and lights the passage enough for them to navigate. "So got all your supplies?" questions Vrondi in the direction of King Joe. The Technic alchemist responds with, "Yes. I brought two alkahest bombs, three normal bombs, some cryptbreaker draughts I had given every one of you, two potions of heal light wounds, two heal moderate wounds, one bull's strength, one detect undead, one entangle, and one adaptive admixture." He looks around at the group who are very glad he came prepared and continues for dramatic effect, "Yes, and I also brought two emergency stun rods, my two captured oozes, and my newly built repeating cross-bow." "So we're ready I take it?" Meitov asks after King Joe's bragging ends. The group nods and they follow him down the tunnel, about knee deep in water and filth. "So your people live down here?" Vrondi Piscine asks Meitov. "Yes, they do. By the way, I'm glad you and your Red King friend have healed quite well from yesterday," the Nosferu says politely. "Thank you," Vrondi seems to be happy hearing that and then asks, "So how do you survive if the sewer floods?" Meitov goes on and on about various pieces of jargon as the camera centers on Bonesmasher and over his head, an idea bubble appears with various types of food within it-completely oblivious to what is going on around him.

About fifteen minutes pass and the group wades through muck and the darkness is pierced by the ghastly light summoned by Meitov and Silver Fang's bull's eye lantern. Soon they come across a giant open area. "What is this place?" inquires Silver Fang as the camera pans out over a dimly lit building built into a wall in this large open area of water. "Pump Station 13," says Meitov dryly. "Down here we rely on the pump stations to pump access water out into sub sewers or other areas of the sewer system," the Nosferu says and follows up with," however this station is rarely used and kind of off by itself." The group draws closer to this unassuming building and Meitov continues, "It has always been a place of mysterious origin, most believe it was built in conjunction with an ancient Thassilonian ruin." Ansmaro responds with a bit of coyness, "So, THAT explains it." The group draws closer to a door in the side of the wall. Meitov rummages through his robe and pulls out a key, "Thanks for getting this Ansmaro." "Oh wasn't anything, just quick-witted talking," he says with obvious show of pride. Meitov asks again following Ansmaro's self idolization, "Don't you have a family name? I heard the group only call you Ansmaro." The rest of the group begins to murmur with, "He is right," or "Never thought of it, but yes." Ansmaro looks quickly distraught and sharply replies with, "I do! But it's none of your business! That's all I'll say!" With a heavy creaking, the door to Pump Station 13 barges open and the group shine their lights in revealing a staircase. "I'll go first," says Silver Fang fearlessly and then the others follow suit with Bonesmasher heading up the rear. They travel up the steps and enter a room that is already dimly illuminated with gaslights. The group finds what appears to be three Nosferu in this seventy five ft wide and thirty five ft long room.

"Who are you?" cries Meitov. One member of the group looks at the six adventurers, and responds in a bland tone, "Emergency repair team." Meitov looks at them, while Silver Fang uses the skill "Sense Motive". "I know all the Nosferu down here, and I've never seen you three before!" shouts Meitov in a very accusative tone as Silver Fang blatantly says, "I think they are lying!" One of the Nosferu assumes an attack position and says, "Can't get nothing past you, huh?" The others start getting into battle positions and the group does as well, however the Nosferu warp and change into Hupnaths. "We all saw this coming right?" Ansmaro says and King Joe responds in his mechanized tone, "Just focus on them."

One of the Hupnaths strikes at King Joe with dazzling speed, and manages to hit the Technic with both clawed-hands. However the monster does a small amount of damage. The second takes a vicious slash at Vrondi Piscine and knocks him backward in pain. The third takes a kicking strike at Silver Fang, who deftly repels it with his shield. Bonesmasher whips himself into a frenzy and charges one of the Hupnaths and knocks it to the ground with a THUD! Silver Fang has already withdrawn his mace as its glows and hums with the enchantment on it reacting to the coming attack. He uses his "SMITE EVIL" on the middle Hupnath and fires three, blue, fiery blasts from his mouth that strike the creature. They explode on impact, knocking the creature prone and smoldering. King Joe luckily strikes the Hupnath that attacked him in the face and deals minimal damage, but it does drive the creature back. With that Ansmaro sneaks up behind said Hupnath and delivers a vicious attack from behind-striking it very deep it the back with his rapier! "Take that, weirdo!" cries Ansmaro. Meitov at the same time is chanting and restores some of Vrondi's HP. Vrondi, haggardly, gets up and uses his own natural shock attack against the Hupnath that slashed at him earlier. It strikes the creature with a horrid CRACK! sound and the creature is obviously affected by the strike as it shakes and smokes a bit. However, it is already on the ground due to Bonesmasher's bull rush attack.

The Hupnath that Ansmaro stabbed in the back twirls around and does a spinning kick that strikes Ansmaro in the face. Surprised and thrown to the ground, Ansmaro spits out a tiny amount of blood and a chip of his tooth, before the look of anger crosses his many-toothed face. The one that Silver Fang knocked prone gets up and bares his claws with a horrendous, shrill hiss as does the other that Bonesmasher struck down. Bonesmasher pulls out his Pigmon Club to strike out at the Hupnath and he delivers a violent, two-handed strike that…fails miserably and cracks the floor underneath him with that blow. King Joe uses his own electrical shock attack to damage the Hupnath that struck down Ansmaro. The shock arches through the unholy creature causing it to stiffen and cry out in pain. Ansmaro fires a shot from his pistol and a blast from his oral beams that hit the Hupnath that seems not to know whom to attack first. Meitov chants again and uses "Cause Moderate Wounds" on the Hupnath close to the Red King barbarian and the creature violently shows discomfort. Vrondi uses "ACID SPLASH" to hit the one near Bonesmasher out of spite.

The first Hupnath takes a leap and lands hard down upon Ansmaro's pale, bluish underbelly. Even the cloth armor with metal playing underneath did not help the sheer pain of the creature brining its weight down upon him. The creature that struck at Vrondi originally has struck at Bonesmasher's yellow, scaly hide and grabbed onto him, digging its claws deep into his arm and forces Bonesmasher to drop his club. The other strikes at Silver Fang's heavy, full plate armor and does little damage to him as the templar looks back with his saurian face showing a sneer of contempt for this horrible outsider. Bonesmasher takes one of his oversized arms and punches the Hupnath square in the face, causing the creature to let go, before the Red King opens his mouth from his tiny head and spews an onslaught of gravel at the creature. The Hupnath that is assailed by the gravel flails around violently in shock. Silver Fang holds his with both hands and cries, "POWER ATTACK" and slams his mace into the horrible creature with a loud sonic explosion and makes its body crumple into a blue, bloody mess. King Joe draws his cross bow and fires two arrows at the Hupnath on Ansmaro. They connect and strike the creature in the side and it steps off Ansmaro as it grasps its wounded side the arrows protrude from. Ansmaro luckily slashes at the leg of the creature, brining to the ground upon its wounded knees. Meitov casts "Cause Light Wounds" on the Hupnath that Bonesmasher assailed with gravel, by chanting and pointing at the creature in question as acid eats away at its almost costumed-like form. Vrondi senses how bad off the Hupnath battling King Joe and Ansmaro is and casts, "MAGIC MISSILE" to finish it off with a bright flash and a horrible CRACK! as the projectile strikes the creature dead. The sole surviving Hupnath tries to retreat and Bonesmasher strikes it down fatally with a massive "POWER ATTACK" from his club.

The group takes a collective sigh and Meitov looks around and cautiously says, "That shows at least we're on the right track…..I hope." The Nosferu looks around and finds a panel and toys with the buttons. He presses one and from behind the group a shadowy door opens. Past the frame is obscured by darkness and the group peers in. "Looks like a hallway," Silver Fang notes. King Joe and Ansmaro use their keen senses and knacks for trap finding to scour the area around the door and right past the threshold for traps. They luckily find nothing and group decides to embark into this hallway.

As the group meanders down the poorly-lit hallway that reeks of moisture and old socks, Bonesmasher says to the group, "You guys know I have the sense of traps, right?" "But you're INT and WIS are both 9," remarks Ansmaro. Bonesmasher looks over at the blue-skinned kaiju with the pirate hat and eye patch with disdain, "What?! You say Bonesmasher is stoopid?!" "No. Umm…just you may not be able to be all that much of a trap hunter as me and the alchemist," Ansmaro quickly says trying not to get throttled by the Red King. The yellow robotic kaiju autotunes with its face panel glowing lightly, "Bonesmasher can handle himself. I trust him." Silver Fang, whose light is penetrating the darkness ahead, looks back and with his toothy maw he says, "You and him did do dungeon crawling before joining us right?" Both the robot and the Red King nod and say, "Yes".

With that the group enters a massive room that seems to be empty except a door on the other side of the room. "Crap baskets! I bet there are traps in here," cries Meitov as he peers through the murk before his ghost light orb goes out. He swears a little and casts the spell again for another ghostly ball of light to appear overhead. "I think we should have our master trap sensers go out to clear the area or find out where is what," Silver Fang suggests. King Joe nods and walks out to inspect the floor panels and so does Ansmaro. Bonesmasher cries, "I will too!" and joins them in their investigation. Ansmaro drinks his Cryptbreaker's Draught to enhance his senses and senses a head a loose tile. He points and takes a bit of leftover fruit preserves from his pack and slings it onto the tile, "There we go. Gotta mark that one." King Joe finds another tile like that and strikes it with some paint from his pack. Bonesmasher haphazardly throws his weight around and discovers a trap. "Ohhhhh! It's a trap I see!" and he decides to point it out to the group like an eager child as they cross the room cautiously. Meitov responds as he eyes where is going cautiously, "That's very nice." They draw closer to the door and King Joe notices a tile ajar slightly, "It looks like a trap." Bonesmasher jumps in front of the group and nods before trying to disarm it-with a club. The group holds their breath in absolute horror and said trap reveals to be nothing more than a spike trap that just punctures a small set of hole in his club. "Pigmon Club is sad. It got stuck by spikes," says Bonesmasher with a single tear in his eye. "Let's just get going, please!" cries the Silvergon in charge of the group. They enter another door and are greeted with a long hallway with statues of Ultra soldiers on each side.

The statues line the walls and look as if they are gazing upon them with malicious intent. The group passes a few and Silver Fang notices writing on the walls, "It looks Thassilonian, but I sure as heck can't read what it says," Ansmaro points out another loose tile that indicates a trap and the group passes by it. The group avoids it, but one of the statue's eyes begin to glow without warning, and it starts to shift as it comes to life-as does another down the hall in front of them! One statue is armed with a tower shield and a long spear and it steps off from its pedestal right behind them. The other, in front, carries a barbed spear and a light shield, and clangs the spear against the shield at the group to antagonize them. King Joe looks around, "I think I got this!" he autotunes to the rest of them as the constructs are ready for battle. The long spear-wielding construct charges at and jabs Silver Fang HARD-penetrating his plate armor and wounding the area above his chest and under his shoulder! "APSU's BLOOD!" he shrieks in extreme pain. Bonesmasher summons a few boulders that he creates from the stone floor of the corridor and flings them at the one carrying the barbed spear. The three boulders connect and knock its shield from its right hand. Ansmaro uses his oral energy attack to strike the same one as it is stunned. Silver Fang luckily pulls the spear from his body and slams into the constructed soldier. This force pushes the construct back a bit, just right before an alkahest bomb crashes into it and explodes. The construct is covered in the powerful alkahest substance that eats away at its copper-like make-up quickly. The Ultra soldier statue staggers and falls onto the floor, dropping its weapon and shield. The other statue is knocked off balance as well, by a tail swipe from Vrondi Piscine. Bonesmasher deals the final blow to it with his club against its head-shattering it into hundreds of shards of glistening metal as the other is devoured by the alkahest. The group regains their bearings as the threat has been ended and Silver Fang uses a few healing abilities to mitigate the damage he incurred. The group gathers themselves and proceeds down the corridor to the next door.

The next area is well light with what look like gas-powered street lights. The group deliberates and because of the odd architecture, they cannot figure out what this area is supposed to be. However, Thassilonian writing and runes are all over the walls of some buildings and streets indicate some sort of ancient ruin. "It's some kind of underground city!" cries Vrondi. Meitov investigates this giant open-air crypt and all of the sudden something catches his eye. "Look over there!" he points in an easterly or whateverly direction (We're underground people! How am I supposed to know?) "Where?" cries the blind salamander sorcerer. The GM pulls the screen aside and jokes, "Didn't think I was going there huh?" before he lets go of the frame and the scene returns to normal. The group notices a bright light coming from a plaza farther away, and decides to find out what it is. The group weaves through the streets and around buildings, while they see a great fire with two Hupnaths on each side in a cross-legged sitting position. The real thing that got their attention was a giant, bipedal, sickly horse-like creature with wings in front of the fire. Silver Fang and Meitov mumble "Daemon Steed at the same time" with great disdain. "So that's the creature behind the curses eh?" asks Ansmaro while still eyeing the beast and its attendants. Silver Fang turns and looks at the group, "We need to figure out how to do this." Ansmaro looks at him and suggests, "How about me and the Technic attack the two Hupnaths from range, while you and the Red King go into melee with the monster?" Silver Fang looks at him and the look on his face indicates surprise. "That's a good idea! We can also use Vrondi and Meitov for support." It takes a few minutes to finalize the plan and already King Joe has his repeating crossbow out.

The all get in position and after a few minutes two arrows strike one of the Hupnaths as the other gets struck with ordinance from a pistol. They cry out in pain and surprise as the Daemon Steed rears back and bats its leathery wings in anger and shock. The creature looks around and scans the area for the object that has attacked its attendants. It feels sickened as an invisible force strikes it when Bonesmasher and Silver Fang show themselves and give battle cries of anger and power. The creature lifts itself in the air and bares its teeth at the duo, before breathing a powerful cone of fire that has a blackish light emanate from its outer flames. Luckily Silver Fang dodges most of it and deflects the outer cone with his shield. Bonesmasher isn't so lucky. He gets struck by the cursed flame and cries with agony as he is bathed with its flickering, evil light. He fights through the pain and strikes the foul creature with his club.

The screen freezes and the voices of the GM and players are heard. "He fought through a curse and pain?!" shouts a dumbfounded GM off camera. Another voice responds, "He has high saving throws and attack bonuses." The GM returns with verbal fire, "He is also on fire!" The voices return in unison, "Saving throws!" The GM off camera screams aloud and audibly throws things in rage.

The scene kicks back into action with the Daemon Steed getting struck by Bonesmasher's Pigmon club. Silver Fang slashes at the creature with his scimitar and delivers a deep wound to the creature's body that spouts brown, stench-laden blood. Well that is, before he gets smashed backwards by the creature's massive hooves when it kicks him. The creature attempts to take a bite at Silver Fang and misses, taking a huge bite of air. The others in background still have the Hupnaths at range are fending them off with projectiles and spells. Bonesmasher, who is still on fire by the way, tries to take another strike at the monster and fails- barely missing it by inches. Silver Fang deals another violent blow that shreds through the hide of the infernal creature after recovering his bearings after being kicked. The horse mockery deals another swift dual kick to the templar and knocks him prone before crashing down upon him with great force! Silver Fang cries out in great pain and Bonesmasher deals a vicious POWER ATTACK to the creature that forces it from atop Silver Fang. Silver Fang gets up slowly and blasts the creature with three of its blue fire balls. The creature reels back, then regains its composure, and wildly thrashes forward with its equine form in frenzy! The creature thrashes wildly about, strikes Bonesmasher down, and stomps upon him in rage. The downed Redking uses his elemental affinity to summon a piece of rock that forms in his hand right within seconds. He throws it at the Daemon Steed and strikes it in the face. The creature bellows and tumbles backwards just in time to get struck by Silver Fang's scimitar in the back. "I even enchanted it when you were paying attention to him with HOLY SWORD to deal more damage to you, beast!" cries the Silvergon templar. The creature pulls itself from the blade and turns to bathe Silver Fang in cursed fire that courses over him. Silver Fang doesn't scream or retreat he does, in extreme pain mind you, try to put out the fire by ducking and rolling around. Luckily, in the violent rage he is in, Bonesmasher leaps to his feet and deals a flurry of blows from his club that finally slay the beast, "GAAAAAAHHHHHWWWWOOOOOOO!" The two realize the beast is dead and after Silver Fang extinguishes himself, he uses the spell Cure Light Wounds on himself and uses the Lay on Hands ability twice as well. Then he uses the same ability on Bonesmasher to cure him of his wounds. While Bonesmasher grumbles that he can still go on.

They depart from the place where the creature was slain to aid their comrades-and the fact that after it died, the creature dissolved into foul-smelling ooze that even Bonesmasher remarked negatively about. The four had successfully dealt with the Hupnaths. "So you beat the demon horse thing?" questions Ansmaro as he reloads his pistol. "Yes, after being set on fire and kicked an awful lot," mutters Silver Fang. King Joe recalls his oozes to his jar, which were feeding on what remained of the Hupnaths, and nods in solidarity with his group with his massive head/torso. "So it's over?" Meitov asked reluctantly. "I think so," Vrondi answered, "however it does seem odd that there are Thassilonian ruins down here." Ansmaro mused, "Maybe they are connected to the artifact?" The group takes this into account and the scene changes and Meitov narrates.

"Soon all was well within the town," the narrator says as the former mayor is escorted out of office by guards. "Flavian was installed as temporary mayor before a special election could be held and the Nosferu charged for the various murders named Krakov was cleared of charges," he continues as the two Nosferu brothers embrace. "The five adventurers were each awarded with 400 gold pieces and medals of honor," and the scene shows each of our heroes getting medals and a bag of coins. "Several days later, they would continue their journey and….the paper is blank! Oh! It must mean that their future is unwritten or something…" muses the narrator as the screen fades to black. However quickly Vrondi Piscine pops out of a hole in the black background and shots, "Did he mention we found a whole treasure chest on exiting the subterranean city?!" This is the last thing seen before the credits roll.

Credits roll and on a side screen a scene appears that read in bold letters, "The History Of Ustalav". The narrator that sounds very much like Silver Fang begins and says, "About 2,400 years ago the country known as Ustalav was colonized by the people of Varisia. These people would settle in the shadows of the Hungry Mountains and build their small fiefdoms," as he narrates a scene of a Black King and a Salamandora with settlement gear appears on the screen with the shadow of a foreboding mountain range hangs in the background. "They drove out various trolls, goblinoids, and barbarians and made this country their own. However in-fighting prevented the country from becoming a true nation, but a hero that bore the name "Ustav" created a coalition that finished the job of battling the monsters that dwelled within the country and created a monarchy that eventually gave way to a centralized government," the narrator remarks. "However, eventually the Whispering Tyrant, a horrible lich, rallied his armies or orks and undead and conquered the nation," he says as the scene shifts to hordes of the undead laying waste to towns with a shadowy wraith-like figure in the background. After centuries of enslavement, a crusade from a neighboring country aided the defeat of the undead and locked away the Whispering Tyrant in his necropolis of Gallowspire. However, the recovery would be slow because the Ustav line had died within the war, and the crown was given to one of many feuding noble houses. Several civil wars would occur over the centuries and even invasions from orks and goblinoids would occur," he says as a mass of goblinoids is seen rampaging throw a farmer's fields. "However, each time they'd be pushed back. When the Technic named Deathfacer caused a civil war within the country of Numeria to the east, various Ustalavian nobles joined forces and created the "Legion of Liberation" that would head east and help successfully aid King Joe's father King Joe Black in getting his kingdom back," he mentions as the background switches to an army of Guts, Saurians, Shaplays, and other various races. "However, the one major problem is that Ustalav still has problems with the undead and other horrors that are remnants from the age of the Whispering Tyrant. Some day they will be free, I just know it," says the narrator as the screen fades to black.


End file.
